History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

Author(s): Hiralal R Kapadia
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 30

GENESIS OF THE JAINA SCRIPTURES
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Bhadrabāhusvämins is the last i.e. the 5th Śrutakevalin, in case we use this word Śrutakevalin in the strictest sense;} if not, he is last but one, and Sthūlabhadra? is the last. All the 11 Ganadharas of Lord Mahāvīra were Śrutakevalins, and there were other saints of His, 289, in number, who, too, were Srutakevalins. They were followed by Jambūsvāmin and 4 śrutakevalins viz. (1) Prabhavasvamins, (2) Śayyambhava Sūri, (3) Yaśobhadra Sūri and (4) Sambhūtivijaya. Out of all these Śrutakevalins, we have already Ganadharas and 12 Angas composed by each of them. It is said that Avassaya is composed by Indrabhūti, the very 1st Ganadhara; but since the opinions differ in this connection and since the question of its genesis requires a lot of space, I reserve it for subsequent treatment. As regards 289 Śrutakevalins, we do not know, if any one of them had composed any work. The same is the case with Jambūsvāmin, and Prabhavasvāmin. Sayyambhava Süri, a junior contemporary of Prabhavasvāmin and a predecessor of Bhadrabāhusvāmin has at least one work viz. Dasaveyaliya attributed to him. This and the two Culiyas4 associated with it, I shall deal with, in due course. As regards Yaśobhadra Sūri and Sambhūtivijaya, we are again in the dark. Then comes the case of Bhadrabāhusvāmin. He is an author of ten Nijjuttis.5 Over and above that, he is looked upon as the author of Pajjosanākappa, the
1. The strictest sense means to use the word "Śrutakevalin' for one who is conversant with
all the 14 Puvvas, both in words and meanings. 2. He completely knew the meaning of the 1st 10 puvvas only, though he had studied all
the 14 Puvvas in words. 3. He is the last of the persons to have attained omniscience in this avasarpiņi. No dout, he
too, is a śrutakevalin. But as Ganadharas are usually styled as Ganadharas and not Śrutakevalins, as the former designation is superior to the latter, similarly it is more consistent to say that Jambūsvāmin is kevalin than to address him by an inferior designation of Śrutakevalin. In short, the work Śrutakevalin is generally used for such persons who do not attain omniscience during their life but at the same time master the complete
śrutajñāna. This will explain why I have separately mentioned Jambūsvāmin. 4. There are two Cūliyās in the case of Ayära, too, as we shall see hereafter. 5. This is what Bhadrabāhusvāmin has himself said in the following verse of his
Āvassayanijjutti :"आवस्सयस्स दसकालियस्स तह उत्तरज्झमायारे । सूयगडे निज्जुत्तिं वोच्छामि तहा दसाणं च ॥ ८२ ॥
कप्पस्से य निजत्ति ववहारस्सेव परमनिउणस्स । सूरियपण्णत्तीए वोच्छं इसिभासियाणं च ॥ ८३॥ 6. In all, there are, roughly speaking, six Chedasūtras viz., (1) Nisiha, (2) Mahānisīha, (3),
Vavahära, (4) Dasāsuyakkhandha, (5) Kappa and (6) Pañcakappa or its substitute Jiyakappa